Posted on July 6, 2020
Updated September 22, 2026
For Americans who are blind or have low vision, the right to vote independently has been hard fought and evolved over the last five plus decades. Early stages of accessible voting began with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and eventually led to the Help America Vote Act of 2002. These laws cover everything from registering to vote to voting in person to voting via absentee ballot. The following sections will walk you through the laws — and the rights afforded by those laws — as they pertain to voting for individuals with disabilities. But it should be noted that such rights and abilities continue to evolve even today.
Those who are blind must be able to register to vote independently. Once the person has done so, they must be able to vote, either in person at the polling place or via an absentee ballot, privately and independently. Voters should not have to rely on another person to complete any of these tasks. This right to vote privately and independently includes the right to cast, review, and verify one’s vote.
The following sections provide a walk-through of how you can vote in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, information to address accessibility concerns, a brief overview of the laws that protect voting rights, and recent voting-related announcements sent out from our advocacy team.
How to Take Action as a Voter
This information is a primer and is not intended to provide an exhaustive overview of voting laws and regulations for every state. To learn about the election process in your state and county, contact your state or local elections officials. The U.S. federal government maintains a website to help individuals find useful information from their state board of elections: https://www.usa.gov/election-office.
Register to Vote, or Check Your Registration
Visit https://vote.gov to begin the voter registration process, update your registration if your information has changed, or check to make sure your registration remains active. Select your state or territory. Depending on your state or territory’s rules, you will find instructions on how to register: Online, by mail, or in person at your local election office.
Every state has a different deadline for registering to vote. Find out when you need to register in your state or territory at this link: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
You will likely need some form of identification (ID) to register, and sometimes you need ID to vote. Find out what ID you need to register or to vote at the National Council of State Legislatures website or at USA.gov.
Learn About Your Ballot
A sample ballot tells you what candidates and issues are going to appear on your ballot. Enter the address you are voting from at ballotpedia.org to find and read your sample ballot.
Absentee Voting and Voting by Mail
To learn about the difference between absentee voting and voting by mail, you can visit https://www.usa.gov/absentee-voting
To find out if you are eligible to vote by mail or as an absentee voter in your state, visit this link: https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/absentee-early-voting and select your state. Ensure that you meet the requirements to vote absentee or by mail in your state. Requirements differ from state to state but typical requirements include that you are unable to get to your polling place due to injury, sickness, or disability, business travel or vacation outside of your county, or you are a student that is currently out-of-state.
Voting in Person
Each state and territory has its own voter ID rules that must be followed. To check your states requirements visit: https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state
For an overview of accessibility requirements when voting in person, please visit: https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/disability
Contact your state Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agency to share your experience and learn about the voting rights work they are doing. The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated P&A systems. The P&A network does voter access work in every state and territory – helping people with disabilities register to vote and educating voters about their individual rights and participating in the elections process. More information about NDRN, including contact information for the P&A in every state and territory, is available at: https://www.ndrn.org/issues/voting/.
What to Do if You Face Accessibility Challenges While Voting
Voters who are blind or have low vision may encounter accessibility barriers at different stages of the voting process, including when registering to vote, requesting or completing an absentee or mail-in ballot, accessing election information online, or voting in person. If you experience an accessibility issue, there are steps you can take to seek assistance, report the problem, and help ensure that your right to vote privately and independently is protected.
If voting is inaccessible to you, you can contact the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682)
Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US (1-844-925-5287)
Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683
If you encounter a barrier while trying to exercise your right to vote, you can also contact the Protection & Advocacy agency in your state. Contact information for each state’s P&A can be found at this link: https://www.ndrn.org/about/ndrn-member-agencies/
Before Election Day
If you encounter an accessibility barrier before Election Day, contact your state or local election office as soon as possible. Accessibility issues may include an election website or online voter registration system that does not work properly with a screen reader, difficulty requesting or accessing an absentee or mail-in ballot, or election information that is not provided in an accessible format. When contacting your election office, explain the specific accessibility issue you are experiencing and ask what accessible options or accommodations are available. Addressing these concerns early may provide election officials with more time to resolve the issue before you cast your ballot.
If You Experience an Accessibility Problem at the Polling Place
If you encounter an accessibility problem while voting in person, notify a poll worker and explain what assistance or accessible voting option you need. For example, an accessible voting machine may not be set up, may not be functioning properly, or poll workers may be unfamiliar with how to operate the equipment. The ACB toolkit explains that accessible voting equipment must allow voters to vote privately and independently and that accessible equipment must be available at polling locations. If a poll worker is unable to resolve the problem, ask to speak with the polling place supervisor or election judge. You may also contact your local election office for assistance. Do not hesitate to clearly explain the accessibility barrier you are experiencing and what you need in order to access the voting process.
If the Problem Is Not Resolved
If an accessibility issue cannot be resolved by a poll worker, polling place supervisor, or local election official, additional resources are available to help voters address and report accessibility barriers.
The Election Protection Hotline provides nonpartisan assistance to voters who have questions or experience problems while voting. Voters can call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for assistance with voting-related questions or problems. More information about the Election Protection Hotline and the resources that they offer is available at: https://866ourvote.org
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) also provides resources specifically for voters with disabilities, including information about federal voting rights, accessible voting, and additional organizations that provide voting-related assistance. Resources for voters with disabilities from the EAC can be found on the following website: https://www.eac.gov/voter_resources/resources_for_voters_with_disabilities.aspx
Document the Accessibility Barrier
If you experience an accessibility barrier during the voting process, document as much information about the experience as you can. Keeping a record of what happened may be helpful when reporting the issue to election officials, advocacy organizations, or other related resources. When possible, make note of the date and time of the incident, polling location or website where the issue occurred, the accessibility barrier you encountered, and the names or roles of any election workers or officials you spoke with. You may also want to document what assistance or accommodation you requested, how election officials responded, and whether the problem was ultimately resolved. This information can also be helpful if you choose to share your experience with the ACB.
Laws That Have an Effect on Voting
The Americans with Disabilities Act
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to state and local government entities and protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disabilities in services, programs, and activities provided by state and local government entities. Title II extends the prohibition on discrimination established by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended (29 U.S.C. 794) to all activities of state and local governments regardless of whether these entities receive federal financial assistance. State or local governments must provide different or separate aids, benefits, or services to individuals with disabilities than is provided to others, unless such activity is necessary to provide qualified individuals with disabilities with aids, benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others. Voting and voter registration are covered under Title II.
According to Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, the authority to regulate the time, place, and manner of federal elections is up to each state, unless Congress legislates otherwise. Consequently, each individual state develops and carries out voting practices and procedures. Thus, states are responsible for accommodating state residents with disabilities under the ADA.
Under regulations adopted by U.S. Department of Justice in 2010, governmental bodies are required to ensure that communications with individuals with disabilities are as effective as communications with other people. Information on ballots is a form of communication. Governmental bodies are also required to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities when necessary for them to have an equal opportunity to participate in and enjoy the benefits of the service or program (28 C.F.R. 35.160). Auxiliary aids and services are required to make voting processes accessible for blind and visually impaired voters.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehab Act) is a federal law designed to remedy discrimination by the federal government and organizations receiving federal funding. Section 504 prohibits federally funded organizations from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability. It applies to all organizations receiving federal grants. This includes state and county Boards of Election. Section 504 provides that “no otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the U.S. shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any executive agency” (29 U.S.C. 794). State voting systems receive some level of federal funding, and as a result, must adhere to Section 504 as well.
Section 504 includes making reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities and providing auxiliary aids at no additional costs.
Help America Vote Act of 2002
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) established the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The EAC was established to assist states in improving voting systems and voter access. It established a clear mandate that all Americans with disabilities be given the same opportunity to vote as freely and independently as other voters. The bill contained landmark provisions requiring the secure, private, and independent casting of ballots for voters with disabilities. It also entrusted the EAC with leadership in this area.
The EAC has worked closely with election officials to promote HAVA’s access requirements and to foster a climate of understanding in providing assistance for voters with disabilities. In support of this effort, the EAC also engages voters with disabilities who provide vital information that informs election system and administration improvements.
The EAC’s Voting System Testing and Certification Program works directly with expert stakeholders to ensure voters with disabilities have access to election systems that meet stringent national standards. The guidelines significantly increase overall requirements for voting systems and expand access including opportunities to vote privately and independently.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
Under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Section 208 provides assistance for voters with disabilities. Any voter needing assistance is allowed to have an individual of their choice accompany them into the polls.
Accessible Voter Registration
National Voter Registration Act
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 was developed to increase the historically low rate of registered disabled voters in the United States. The registration and participation of people with disabilities in the voting space with significantly low. The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) requires all offices that provide public assistance or state-funded programs that primarily serve people with disabilities to also provide the opportunity to register to vote in federal elections. These offices must provide registration forms, assisting voters in completing the forms, and transmitting completed forms to the appropriate election officials. In a 2011 case that utilized the NVRA, the U.S. Department of Justice reached a settlement agreement with the state of Rhode Island that required state officials to ensure that voter registration opportunities were offered at all disability service offices in the state, and to develop and implement training and tracking programs for those offices.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA requires states to ensure that all aspects of the voter registration process are accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes online registration processes. Oftentimes, when registering online, the process is inaccessible with screen-reading software. This violates Title II of the ADA.
Voting News from ACB
Supreme Court Blocks Mail Ballot Restrictions for 2026 Midterms
September 15, 2026: The Supreme Court has blocked a new policy that attempted to restrict mail ballots in the 2026 midterm elections. This decision by the Supreme Court protects voting by mail for the 2026 midterm elections and allows states to continue sending out and accepting mail ballots as they have done in years past, which is a win for the disability community.
Federal Judge Halts USPS Proposed Rule Regarding Mail-In Ballots
July 3, 2026: A federal judge has halted a Proposed Rule by the United States Postal Service which would restrict mail-in ballots. The Proposed Rule would require states to provide USPS with lists of voters who are eligible to receive mail-in ballots for federal elections. USPS could then refuse to accept or deliver ballots that USPS determines do not comply with the new requirements, which would likely disproportionately affect voters who are blind or have low vision. The judge has found that the USPS Proposed Rule would violate a current settlement agreement (in effect through the 2028 election) between the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and USPS.
Supreme Court Declines to Take Key Voting Rights Case
June 23, 2026: The Supreme Court has refused to take the case of Arkansas United v. Thurston, regarding whether Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act is enforceable by private individuals and organizations. Because the Supreme Court declined to take the case, the 8th Circuit Court decision stands, ruling that only Attorneys General have the right to sue to enforce Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act. This decision weakens the Voting Rights Act, because section 208 of the Act has largely been enforced through private lawsuits from individuals and organizations, not state Attorneys General.
February 6, 2026: Previous legislation sponsored by Rhode Island Rep. William O’Brien allowing eligible disabled and military voters to utilize electronically transmitted ballots expired on Dec. 31, 2025. The ACB® submitted a letter to Rhode Island state leadership, urging them to pass legislation (2026-H 7007) for continued access to accessible electronic ballot return options for voting. The bill has been passed in the Rhode Island State House and has now moved to the Senate for consideration.